What's in a name?

My name, in the United States, is about as common as they come: Sarah Anne Walker. I’ve never been anywhere where I’m the only Sarah. I’m one of four here in Peru 12. There are over 500 Sarah Walkers on facebook. Whose middle name isn’t Anne? And yet, here in Peru, my name seems to be a source of endless confusion.

First of all, there’s my first name. Sarah. Spanish doesn’t do silent letters. There is only one way to spell Sarah and that is Sara. It doesn’t bother me too much here, although in the States it really bothers me when people misspell my name. I don’t feel like a Sara, I feel like a Sarah. But here, when you add the whole Spanish thing, I guess it doesn’t really matter.

Then there’s my last name: Walker. Yes, there’s only one. Everyone here has two last names. Your dad’s last name goes first, and then your mom’s (I think, I always get it mixed up). Your kids will inherit your dad’s last name and your spouse’s dad’s last name. So, my name would be Sarah Walker Baker. My kids’ names would be Baby Walker Weiner (kidding Andrew :P), but you get the idea. No one here can believe that I only have one last name. I even had someone tell me that it was disrespectful to my mother not to carry her name. Interesting observation, although I feel like maybe the pot is calling the kettle black on that one.

The really confusing thing though, is my middle name. The problem is not Anne, but its placement. My passport says Sarah Anne Walker. Thus, it looks like my first name is Sarah and my last name is Anne Walker. So, people would either call me Sarah Anne Walker, or Sarah Anne. Never Sarah Walker. As you’ll remember, I tried to explain this to the policeman writing my denuncia to no avail, and now in the Peruvian justice system I am Sarah AMN Walker. Sigh.

This naming confusion came to a head this morning at the bank. I had to get more money to pay for my hotel. My bank card is cancelled and in the hands of criminals. So, I had the brilliant idea to change travelers’ checks. Fine, except that when I got to the bank they refused to change them. Why? Because my checks say Sarah Walker, and my passport says Sarah Anne Walker. No amount of my pleading or explaining of the cultural differences between Peru and the USA would convince them that these two were really the same person. Only after it emerged that I was robbed and after a couple of tears slid down my cheeks did they decide it would be okay for me to take money out of my account, but I never did change those travelers’ checks.